Chelsea or Weems & Plath?

[MarkA]

I'm shopping for a decent ship's clock and matching barometer. I was looking at the Weems & Plath Atlantis series, and also the Chelsea Ship's Strike series. I want key wind, not quartz.

Any thoughts? West Marine is having a three-day sale on selected brass stuff, and they're offering Chelseas for less than what most discounters charge for the Weems & Plath. I was leaning toward Chelsea before, but this may tip the balance.

Any experiences? Stories? Warnings? Other comments?

 

[Guy Stevens]

Chelseas

Chelseas
I have seen and personally wound one that was reported to be over 100 years old and still working.....

Guy

 

[ted_reshetiloff]

I have always had WP stuff and loved it but don't know anything about Chelsea. What I have always wondered though is if you look at a cabinet full of different barometers why do they all have dramatically different readings? Which one is right? How would one go about calibrating? What source would you use to as the right one? I have never really lost any sleep over this as I use the barometer's info on the basis of change more than absolute reading. If I see it heading low I know we are in for a blow and vise versa for rising. Chesapeake weather is pretty easy to predict during most of the year anyway.

 

[Shadowfax]

Settings

Most if not all better barometers are adjustable. Read the directions that come with yours, but if not available then look for a small screw near the coil or spring in the bottom or back of the unit. Move this screw and the arm, or whatever shows the reading, will move.

To find the correct barometric pressure for your area, the best and easiest place is a call to the closest weather bureau, or airport weather station. I assume that we are talking on the water barometers here, so you want your source for set up to be at sea level, or as close as you can get to it, as barometric pressure is influenced by altitude.

Having the exact, dead on pressure is not all that important. In a barometer you are looking more for trends, dropping, steady or rising.

Hope this helps

 

[MarkA]

Beware of West Marine!

So my "new" Chelsea clock arrived today via Fed. Ex.

It was poorly packaged, and I was concerned as I opened it. It was NOT packaged appropriately for a $550 item, which is fragile, and weighs 7 lbs.

The first thing I noticed was a ding in the bezel. Then I noticed there was no glass on the face (nor broken shards in the box). The hands were bent, with the hour hand being almost twisted off. The face was scuffed, as was the back of the case. It did not come with a winding key. Obviously this was not damaged in shipping.

Can you believe that???

Anyway, I suppressed my urge to hurl the boat anchor of a clock through the window of the nearest West Marine, and called customer service instead. Customer service promised a "BRAND NEW" clock will be in my hands by noon on Tuesday. Meanwhile, she told me to toss the old piece of crap in the trash. Her willingness to take my word for it leads me to believe this has happened before. That, and her concern about the matching barometer, which is scheduled to be delivered on Monday.

 

[MarkA]

Bad barometer, too!

Today I received my barometer from West Marine. Like the clock, it is a Chelsea Ship Strike series.

Poorly packaged, big gouge in the bezel and corresponding rip in the soft back it was packaged in, and the barometer reads two full inches less than reality.

Again, I'm pissed. I'm done with West Marine.

 

[MarkA]

Damn West Marine!

Clock number two arrived today.

It looks to be in "new" condition, except that the top of the brass case had what look like sweat stains on it, and all the protective stuff was removed. Chelsea ships the clocks with a plastic thread that somehow protects the striking mechanism, and also two plastic tubes inserted over the striking posts. These are for shipping purposes, and the end user is supposed to remove them. Mine were removed before the clock was shipped to me.

Also, the hour hand is a click or two behind. If the minute hand is on the 12 when it's 4:00, the hour hand lags behind on one or two minute marks earlier, as if it's only 3:40. For the price, I have to send this back.

Also, it was packaged for shipping by a negligent moron.

I am NOT impressed by West Marine!!!

 

[Guy Stevens]

Tell them no more demo models

You have gotten two demo models from two different stores, not a new clock as stated. Let me know how it all ends up. Before you huck the other one in the dumpster, if you are going to do that I can use it for parts when I repair them...


Thanks,
Guy

 

[MarkA]

0 for 4

Just received the second barometer. The glass is smashed.

This one looks like shipping damage, but it was poorly packaged.

 

[Frank Langer]

Mark, if I were going through what you are describing, I would not just talk with the customer service people, but with a very senior staff in the company(as in VP, President)--what you are describing is totally unacceptable.
They should not just be providing you brand new, well packaged clock and barometer, but also a complimentary gift certificate or something for your trouble.
Keep us posted.
Frank.

 

[Loren Beach]

from Chelsea to We$t Marine

We seem to have wandered into a new thread, albeit sort of related...
"The internet purchase experience from 'net vendor West Marine"


I comment only because last spring I ordered a small Blue Seas shore power breaker panel from the local WM store (not in stock, and they called me when it came a few days later).
The plastic package showed evidence of being previously opened and resealed. I was in a hurry to get that project moved along and accepted it. It works fine, but... the little "30 Amp Shorepower" label was missing from its little recessed slot on the front.

Couple weeks ago, I finally contacted WM and asked how to get the missing label. They said to call Blue Seas on their 800 number. I did and the Blue Seas rep was very polite and said that those labels sometimes drop off during shipping and handling -- and promtly sent me new sheet of AC - related Blue Seas labels at no charge.

I would appear that Blue Seas would rather not comment or deal with distribution problems with WM, and just fix stuff when/if buyers complain.

As to the all the "packaged and shipped by dolts" clocks/barometers you got from WM, I would document all the problems, take some digi photos of the carnage and make one (1) more call to West. Wait 24 hours and then contact Chelsea directly and make a polite but Really Determined noise. (Don't get mad... and don't back down... operative phrase is: "this is not acceptable!")

In effect, you have been cheated -- sent broken goods represented to be new. WM has also harmed Chelsea by repeatedly representing their products as having no QC.

In the real world, the WM shipping center you are receiving from likely has management *and* labor problems, and you are likely only one of many victims.
Since the company went corporate, the horror stories just keep on comin'.
It's Sad.

Good Luck,
Loren

 

[Lan]

Hi Mark,
Two years ago I bought a Chelsea Ship Strike clock at WM. It sopped running after 6 months. WM would do nothing to help me. In Fact they said I probably over wound it and it was my fault!

I called Chelsea direct and they repaired the clock at no charge. I got it back in about 10 days and it looked like new. Little tab in the chime and all. They were great. The clock is still running fine. My suggestion is forget about West Marine and contact Chelsea.

Good Luck,
Lan

 

[MarkA]

I agree

I have the number for "Corporate" and I'll make the appropriate noise when everything is completely documented.

Today, clock #3 is scheduled to arrive, and tomorrow I should see barometer #3. At this point, I've almost given up on the hope of mounting new instruments in the boat this year. Now I just laugh as I open the packages.

Since I ordered these items during a deeply discounted sail on brass items, the prices were pretty good. I'm willing to bet that West Marine has now spent more on overnight priority Fed Ex than I spent on the entire order.

By the way, has anyone had good or bad experiences with Defender? If West Marine can't supply "new" stuff this week, I'm thinking of upgrading to Chelsea's Ship's Bell series, and ordering from Defender (who is posting good prices right now).

 

[Kim Schoedel]

Mark,

I do not have the patience that you have. If the replacedment items are not acceptable, then (assuming you popped these items on a credit card) I would just call the credit card company and dispute the charges. This normally gets someones attention.

It never ceases to amaze me how hard we sometimes have work at doing business with people. I don't treat my customers that way. If I did, I would be out of business.

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Deals Can Be Found

West Marine is just getting ridiculous. I am overwhelmed at how their prices have sky rocketed since I started shopping there six years ago. Some items they carry I can find on line at 50% less. They are now a last resort when I am looking to make any purchases for up grading or maintaining my boat.

Regarding the Clocks and Barometers. I just couldn't justify spending that kind of money. I would love to have a real chiming and traditional clock but I settled for a used all brass case but it only has the little electronic quartz clock inside. The brand is called Ships Time and I have seen these clocks new for about $185. bucks because they are real brass. I only paid $30 bucks for it at Kelly's Marine Surplus in San Pedro. I got a brand new Bay Berk (French) Barometer (black powder coat with glow in the dark face) from The Maritime Museum in San Pedro for $36. bucks. Both units work just fine.

Hey, I'm on a major budget with slip fees the way they are!

 

[MarkA]

I hear ya

Jeff,

I'm having a hard time justifying these purchases, too -- especially to my fiance. Unfortuntately, I think I have an unresolved fetish for precision mechanical stuff.

From 1977 through 1982 I worked on a couple fishing boats in the asshole of the universe (Bering Sea/Gulf of Alaska). One of which was a 65-foot wooden halibut schooner that was launched in 1923. (F/V Sunset, for any of you who might hang around Ballard in late Winter or early Spring). The Sunset had an old Seth Thomas in the wheel house, and I believe it was the boat's original clock. I loved that clock, and I'm sort of looking for a surrogate now.

The clock had other sentimental value. The Sunset was owned and operated by my uncle, and then his three sons. All of them are dead now, and the boat is being operated by another owner. If I could find the boat and it's owner, I would pay dearly to recover that little brass symbol of our family. That, and the Hansen's Handbook that was annotated by my uncle over the years. If any of you are familiar with navigating the Inside Passage, you'll know what that is.

Until then, I need a tick-tock that I have to faithfully wind up to make it go ding dong.

 

[MarkA]

Third Clock Arrived

Here's my email to Chelsea (both repairs and sales). I suspect some well-meaning manager (idiot) opened the box to inspect. Can you believe this crap???

-------------------

This concerns technical advice, and also major problems with a retailer:

Last week, I ordered a 4.5 Inch Shipstrike clock (wind) and barometer from West Marine online. The first clock and barometer I received were defective units that were returned by previous customers, and sold to me as "new." West Marine then shipped out another set. The second clock was another previously returned item, and the barometer seemed new, but was damaged by inappropriate packaging (by West Marine). I would love to send photos of the conditions of the fraudulent units, if you're interested. I would urge you to be more selective in your choice of retailers, because they're tarnishing your image by intentionally selling known defective items.

But here's my urgent call for technical advice:

I received the third clock today, and I'm concerned about it's condition. It looks good, but:

1. It was shipped FULLY WOUND, with a plastic sleeve over one winding post that PHYSICALLY PREVENTED THE MINUTE HAND FROM ROTATING. Is that good for a precision mechanical instrument?

2. The striking mechanism was switched ON, the plastic thread was REMOVED from the back of the case, and the orange sticker was REMOVED. My understanding is that clocks are NOT to be shipped in this condition.

3. Whomever removed the bezel to wind the clock also cross-threaded the case.

I have a narrow window within which to return the clock, if that is my decision. Based on this information, do you have reason to believe the clock may have been damaged by it's shipping condition and the physical restraint on the minute hand? Could problems arise in the future? Please advise me on whether I should return it and seek a fourth.